General Election 2015: Labour claims Tories have 'hidden agenda' on NHS charges

The Tories have rejected accusations that they plan to axe 2,000 nursing jobs

The shadow Health Secretary, Andy Burnham, says a Tory win would mean NHS privatisation (Jon Super)

Labour has accused the Conservatives of having a hidden agenda to bring in charges and privatise the NHS as it begins a week of campaigning on health.

A survey of 115 Tory councillors, carried out by students who identified themselves as Labour Party members, found that 26 backed charging for some NHS services; 12 supported increased use of the private sector and six wanted to cut the health budget.

Andy Burnham, the shadow Health Secretary, said the Tory councillors had “let the cat out of the bag – five more years of David Cameron means more NHS privatisation and charging”.

Ed Miliband will claim that Mr Cameron “poses a risk to the very fabric and foundation of our NHS”.

However, the Conservatives highlighted a survey of 460 family doctors by GP magazine, showing that 28 per cent plan to vote for the Tories, 13 per cent Labour and 7 per cent the Liberal Democrats.

The Tories claimed another Labour attack backfired when they rejected its claim they had a secret plan to axe almost 2,000 nursing jobs in England.

A Conservative spokesman said: “The only threat to nursing numbers is the threat of an Ed Miliband-SNP government that refuses to give the NHS the money it has said it needs. Under the Conservatives, the number of nurses has increased by 6,900. We have committed an additional £8bn a year by 2020.”

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